‘Nitish, Sharad pushing me out’

NDA convenor and senior Janata Dal (United) leader George Fernandes alleged at Muzzaffarpur on Wednesday that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and party president Sharad Yadav were conniving with the Congress to keep him out of Parliament.

indiaUpdated: Mar 26, 2009 00:21 IST

Khwaja Jamal & Anil Kumar Hindustan Times

NDA convenor and senior Janata Dal (United) leader George Fernandes alleged at Muzzaffarpur on Wednesday that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and party president Sharad Yadav were conniving with the Congress to keep him out of Parliament.

Earlier, the party denied him nomination because of his ill health. But Fernandes said, “A section of senior JD-U leaders have been abusing me for two years and now they are spreading rumours about my health.”

He said, “I am pained that the party I resurrected wants to eject me out and so brutally. I am fit. You’ll have to wait till the morrow (for my decision).”

But Kumar said, “There are people who are goading him to contest elections for political or other reasons and everyone knows their motives.”

On his wife Leila Kabir Fernandes’ comment that he should not contest, he asked, “Who is she to ask me not to join the electoral fray? What is her right to intervene in my political life?”

Meanwhile, in Patna, the new Rashtriya Samata Party formed the Lok Morcha, with Loktantrik Samata Dal. And Nagmani resigned from the Upper House and primary membership of the JD (U) to contest the Chatra seat on RJD ticket.